The Jurassic is the second period of the Mesozoic era, which began 201 million years ago and ended 145 million years ago. The duration of the period was 56 million years. It was named after the Jura mountains in Switzerland and France, where the deposits of this period were first found. It is rightly considered the most famous segment of the Mesozoic era. The map of the Earth began to change noticeably. The supercontinent Pangea split into two halves - the northern one is called Laurasia, the southern one - Gondwana, and the great Tethys Ocean appeared between them. The outlines of continents familiar to us began to form gradually. The sea level noticeably rose, leading to the emergence of a large number of small islands on the territory formerly occupied by land. The climate became more humid than in the Triassic period, which promoted the development of flora and fauna. During the Jurassic period, the flora gradually but confidently developed. The humid climate promoted the spread of forest communities and fern savannas. Despite the fact that ginkgo, conifers, and ferns continued to dominate the Earth throughout this period, the diversity of flowering plants gradually increased. Perhaps they first appeared on the planet during the Jurassic period. The film "Jurassic Park" deservedly got its name — the Jurassic was the era of the dinosaur heyday, the names of which are known to everyone today. The lush growth of vegetation facilitated the spread of the largest dinosaurs - sauropods. Other "celebrities" such as Stegosaurus and Kentrosaurus also appear. And where there are many herbivores, predators thrive: Allosaurus, Ceratosaurus, Megalosaurus, and others. Dinosaurs lived everywhere: on land, in forests, in swamps, lakes, and water. Some were the size of a cat or a chicken, while others reached the size of giant whales. Winged lizards — pterosaurs: Pterodactylus and Rhamphorhynchus — soared in the air. And countless insects chirped and buzzed in the bushes.